![]() We also looked at prices and ultimately (though highly subjectively) tastiness based on experience. We found the best options where Seafood Watch and EWG's ratings (based on a 1-10 scale, 1 being healthiest) intersect and indicated those ratings (when they were available) in our canned seafood roundup, below. Smaller species like herring, sardines (though only from the North Pacific) and shellfish (farmed or wild) tend to be both more nutritious and environmentally friendly. Your best bet is to compare and contrast the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch's full list of recommended species (the MSC can be helpful, too, but maintains slightly looser regulations around fishing methods) and the EWG's database of scores for canned fish.īy and large, the overarching message from Seafood Watch, the MSC, and the EWG, is that the best thing we can do when shopping for fish is to limit our consumption of bigger, more popular species such as tuna (pole-and-line-caught skipjack and albacore are exceptions) and salmon (apart from pink and sockeye, many salmon species are woefully overfished in the wild, and farming brings its own complications). This will help you steer clear of foods produced using questionable practices, which can involve anything from indentured servitude to ruthless environmental degradation.īut how do we navigate the murky waters where sustainability and nutrition intersect? Groups like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) highlight sustainable choices and set environmental standards, while the Environmental Working Group (EWG) offers nutritional ratings and guidelines, but these recommendations are often at odds when your health and the oceans' health come into play. The best way to find out whether or not a can of preserved seafood is sustainable isn't to take its label for gospel, but to figure out the place of origin (or landing) of the fish and the method by which it was caught. "There are sustainable items, or responsible items if you're more comfortable with that term, across the gamut…there are companies that are trying to do it better, and you can certainly see that in the canned space as well." "The best product is the product that you have some information about," says Senior Program Manager, Ryan Bigelow. ![]() To get an idea of what to look for, we rang up the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program. Packed with protein and uniformly compact, there's no telling how many cans of sardines, oysters, herring, and, yes, tuna, you can reasonably stack in your cabinets or in the trunk of your car. After all, canned and jarred fish may well be the superlative survival food. Plus, if you're anything like us at this stage of quarantine - scouring the internet for recipes, tips, and tricks on what to do with sundry dry goods and nonperishables in your pantry - you know there's no better time than the present to get familiar with les fruits de mer. And we're not talking about your typical utilitarian tuna sandwich here canned, tinned, and jarred seafood - or conservas as it's more affectionately known on the Iberian peninsula - can be a bonafide delicacy, if you know where to shop. ![]() While fresh and frozen meat and seafood suppliers experience shortages and other complications, it's high time we get creative with our diets and learn to love and appreciate the centuries-old art form of preserving fish and shellfish. ![]()
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